Voters can learn more ahead of utility district annual meeting
April 28, 2022 | By Lisa Scagliotti The 2021 annual report for the Edward Farrar Utility District is online at waterburyvt.com. Screenshot (click to enlarge)
The annual meeting for the Edward Farrar Utility District is coming up May 11 and voters—mostly those who are customers of the municipal water and wastewater departments—may learn more at an informational meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 3.
Voting will be held at the municipal offices on May 11 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. But before that, a public meeting to review the ballot items will be conducted both via Zoom and in person in the Steele Community Room at the municipal offices, starting at 7 p.m. on May 3.
The meeting agenda and remote link are posted on the town website waterburyvt.com under the utility district section along with the warning and sample ballot for the May 11 election. The district’s annual report is also posted there as well.
The Edward Farrar Utility District was established in 2018 when the Village of Waterbury municipality was dissolved. The district’s main function is to manage the municipal water and wastewater systems.
Three seats on the district’s Board of Commissioners are on the ballot: two one-year terms with Lawrence “Lefty” Sayah and Natalie Sherman running for re-election, and a three-year term with incumbent Cindy Parks the only candidate.
Voters will have four other articles to consider.
The first sets compensation for commissioners at $1,450 for the chair, $1,200 for each other commissioner and $1,650 for the clerk/treasurer. The item would cover payments due to commissioners for 2020 and 2021 when the article was not on the ballot.
Article 2 asks voters to approve up to $200,000 for wastewater system repairs and upgrades in the coming year.
The other two articles cover steps toward ultimately merging the utility district with town government. They would shift to the town functions the utility district still has that previously belonged to the village but have no connection to running the water and sewer departments.
Article 4 asks voters to approve transferring two revolving loan funds under district management to the municipal government. The funds have been available to businesses in the former village area of Waterbury. Under town management, they would be available to businesses in any part of the community.
Article 5 addresses land previously under the purview of the village government that the utility district still owns. The locations are the roughly 50 square-foot parcel with the Waterbury welcome sign near the roundabout; the .16-acre municipal parking lot on Elm Street; the 1.3-acre Rusty Parker Memorial Park; and the approximate 40 acres along River Road where the Ice Center, dog park, playing fields, parking areas and trail head to the Perry Hill trail network are.
Voters eligible to participate in the EFUD annual meeting would resident in the area formerly incorporated as Waterbury village. To confirm if you are included, check with the town clerk’s office.